Bettex 


„The  Bible  and 
Modern  Criticise 


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.B56 


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MR  18   1958  ' 


THE  BIBLE 
&  MODERN 
CRITICISM 


~ 


Iettex 


The  BIBLE  &  MOD- 
ERN   CRITICISM 

f 

By   DR.    FRIEDR.    BETTEX,    Stuttgart,    Germany 


Translated  from  the  German   original  by 
DAVID  H EAGLE,   D    D. 


Dr.   F.  Bettex 


Republished  from  The  Fundamentals,  by  courtesy 
of  the  Testimony  Publishing  Company. 


BURLINGTON,     IOWA 

THE     GERMAN      LITERARY      BOARD 

Nineteen     Hundred    and    Eleven 


xJ 


In    thy    light    shall    we    see    light 


The  Bible  and  Modern 
Criticism. 


IT  is  undeniable  that  the  universe,  in- 
cluding ourselves,  exists.  Whence 
comes  it  all?  For  any  clear-thinking 
mind  there  are  only  three  possibilities. 
Either  the  universe  has  existed  always,  it 
produced  itself,  or  it  was  created  by  a  Di- 
vine, a  Supreme  Being. 

The  Universe  Not  Eternal. 

The  eternity  of  the  universe  is  most 
clearly  disproved  by  its  evolution.  From  a 
scientific  point  of  view  that  hypothesis  is 
now  discredited  and  virtually  abandoned. 
Astronomers,  physicists,  biologists,  philoso- 
phers, are  beginning  to  recognize  more  and 
more,  and  men  like  Secchi,  Dubois- Rey- 
mond,  Lord  Kelvin,  Dr.  Klein  and  others, 
unanimously  affirm  that  creation  has  had  a 
beginning.  It  always  tends  towards  an  en- 
tropy, that  is,  toward  a  perfect  equilibrium 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

of  its  forces,  a  complete  standstill;  and  the 
fact  that  it  has  not  yet  reached  such  a  con- 
dition is  proof  that  it  has  not  always  existed. 
Should  creation,  however,  ever  come  to  a 
standstill,  it  could  never  again  put  itself  in 
motion.  It  has  had  a  beginning,  and  it  will 
have  an  end.  That  is  demonstrated  most 
clearly  by  its  still  unfinished  evolution. 
Should  anyone  say  to  us,  of  a  growing  tree 
or  of  a  young  child,  that  either  of  these  forms 
of  life  has  existed  forever,  we  would  at  once 
reply,  Why  has  it  not  then  long  ago,  in 
the  past  eternity,  grown  up  so  as  to  reach 
the  heaven  of  heavens  ?  In  like  manner, 
reasons  that  great  astronomer,  William  Her- 
schel,  with  regard  to  the  Milky- Way,  that 
just  as  its  breaking  up  into  different  parts 
shows  that  it  cannot  always  endure,  so  we 
have,  in  this  same  fact,  proof  that  it  has  not 
eternally  existed. 

God  the  Author  of  All  Things, 

There  remains,  therefore,  only  this  al- 
ternative: either  the  world  produced  itself, 
or  it  was  created.  That  all  things  came 
into  existence  spontaneously,  and  therefore 
that  we  must  suppose  an  origination  of  im- 
measurably great  effects  without  any  cause, 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

or  believe  that  at  some  time  a  nothing, 
without  either  willing  or  knowing  it,  and 

without  the  use  of  means,  becomes  a  some- 
thing— this  is  the  most  unreasonable  as- 
sumption that  could  possibly  be  attributed 
to  a  human  being.  How  could  anything 
act  before  it  existed?  or  a  thing  not  yet 
created  produce  something?  There  is  noth- 
ing more  unreasonable  than  the  creed  of  the 
unbeliever,  notwithstanding  all  his  prating 
about  the  excellence  of  reason. 

But  if  this  world  did  not  produce  itself, 
then  it  must  have  been  created  by  some 
Higher  Power,  some  Cause  of  all  causes, 
such  as  was  that  First  Principle  upon  which 
the  dying  Cicero  called.  Or,  to  use  the 
words  of  Dr.  Klein,  that  originating  cause 
must  have  been  a  "Supreme  Intelligence 
that  has  at  its  command  unlimited  creative 
power."  (Kosmologische  Briefe,  p.  27.) 
Hence  what  that  Intelligence  does  is  both 
illimitable  and  unfathomable,  and  it  can  at 
any  time  either  change  this  world  or  make 
a  new  one.  It  is  therefore  prima  facie  silly 
for  us,  with  our  prodigiously  narrow  ex- 
perience, to  set  any  kind  of  bounds  to  the 
Supreme  Being;  and  a  God  who  works  no 
miracles  and  is  the  slave  of  his  own  laws 
implanted  in  nature,  such  a  God  as  the  New 

5 


The    Bible    and  Modern     Criticism 

Theology  preaches,  is  as  much  lacking  in 
being  a  true  Divinity  as  is  the  unconscious, 
but  all-wise  "cosmic  ether"  of  Spiller,  or 
the  "eternal  stuff"  of  other  materialists. 

We  conclude,  then,  that  the  universe 
was  created,  or  that  God  is  the  author  of 
all  things. 

Revelation  in  Nature. 

But  now  the  question  arises  whether 
God,  who  is  both  the  Creator  of  all  things 
and  the  Father  of  spirits,  has  revealed  Him- 
self to  His  creatures,  or  to  His  own  children, 
the  work  of  His  hands.  Such  a  question 
might  surely  provoke  one's  laughter.  For 
what  is  the  entire  universe?  what  is  this 
created  nature  of  which  we  form  a  part? 
what  is  air?  and  water?  and  fire?  what  are 
all  organized  beings,  my  body  with  its  many 
parts  put  together  in  such  a  highly  artistic 
and  inscrutable  fashion;  my  soul  with  its 
infinite  capabilities  so  little  understood  by 
myself?  What  are  all  these  matters  but  a 
progressive  revelation  of  God,  given  to  us, 
as  it  were,  in  a  series  of  concentric  circles 
rising  one  above  another  toward  their  Source? 
For  this  purpose  it  was  that  God  created  the 
visible,  so  that  through  it  we  might  perceive 

6 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

the  invisible,  and  for  this  purpose  the  whole 
creation  was  made,  so  that  through  it  might 
be  manifested  the  invisible  things  of  God, 
even  His  eternal  power  and  godhead  (Rom. 
1:20.)  Creation  is  only  the  language  of  ' ' the 
Word  that  was  in  the  beginning,  and  was 
with  God,  and  was  God,  and  by  Whom  all 
things  were  made' '  (John  1:1-3.)  What  does 
this  Word  declare?  What  else  but  the  great 
infinite  name  of  God  the  Father,  the  primal 
source  of  all  things,  the  name  that  must  be 
hallowed?  There  was  a  time,  however,  even 
before  the  world  was,  when  there  existed 
nothing  but  God  and  His  name.  All  the 
different  works  of  creation  are  only  letters 
in  this  great  name. 

Revelation  in  the  Bible. 

But  there  is  another  revelation  which 
God  has  given  of  Himself  to  men — a  more 
definite  and  personal  one.  Thus,  e.  g.,  He 
declared  Himself  to  Adam,  and  through 
Enoch  and  Xoah  to  the  antediluvians,  and 
again  after  the  flood  to  other  generations 
through  Noah  and  his  sons.  But  because 
at  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel  men 
turned  stubbornly  away  from  God,  He  gave 
them  up  to  the  thoughts  of  their  own  heart, 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

and  selected  one  man,  Abraham,  to  go  out 
from  his  friends  and  kindred,  so  that  in  his 
s  ed  all  the  nations  of  the  world  might  be 
blessed.  Then,  first,  out  of  Abraham  came 
the  people  of  Israel,  to  whom  were  com- 
mitted the  oracles  of  God;  and  from  this 
period  began  the  history  of  the  written 
Word.  Moses  narrates  the  beginning  of 
things,  also  records  the  law,  and  holy  men 
of  God  speak  and  write  as  they  are  moved 
by  the  Holy  Spirit.  That  is  inspiration— a 
divine  in-breathing . 

But  here  a  distinction  must  be  made. 
The  Bible  reports  matters  of  history,  and  in 
doing  so  includes  many  genealogies  which 
were  composed,  first  of  all,  not  for  us,  but 
for  those  most  immediately  concerned,  and 
for  the  angels  (l  Cor.  4:9.)  Also  it  reports 
many  sins  and  shameful  deeds;  for  just  as 
the  sun  first  illuminates  himself  and  then 
sheds  his  radiance  upon  the  ocean  and  the 
puddle,  the  eagle  and  the  worm,  so  the 
Bible  undertakes  to  represent  to  us  not  only 
God,  but  also  man  just  as  he  is.  In  giving 
us  these  narratives  it  may  be  said,  more- 
over, that  God,  who  numbers  the  very  hairs 
of  our  head,  exercised  a  providential  control, 
so  that  what  was  reported  by  His  chosen 
men  should  be  the  real  facts,  and  nothing 

8 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

else.  To  what  extent  He  inspired  those 
men  with  the  very  words  used  by  them,  it 
is  not  for  us  to  know,  but  probably  more 
fully  than  we  suspect. 

But  when  God,  after  having  communi- 
cated the  law  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai  and 
in  the  Tabernacle,  communes  with  him  as  a 
friend  with  friend,  and  Moses  writes  "all 
the  words  of  this  lawT  in  a  book"  (Deut. 
28:58;  31:24,)  then  Moses  really  becomes 
the  pen  of  God.  When  God  speaks  to  the 
prophets,  "Behold,  I  put  my  words  in  thy 
mouth,"  and  "all  the  words  that  thou 
hearest  thou  shalt  say  to  this  people,"  then 
these  prophets  become  the  very  mouth  of 
God.  When  Christ  appears  to  John  on 
Patmos,  and  says,  "To  the  angel  of  the 
church  write  these  things,"  this  is  an  in- 
stance of  verbal  dictation. 

But  just  here  we  are  amused  at  these 
weak-minded  critics  who,  with  hackneyed 
phrases,  talk  so  glibly  about  "mechanical 
instruments"  and  "mere  verbal  dictation." 
Does  then  a  self-revelation  of  the  Almighty 
and  a  making  known  of  His  counsels,  a 
gracious  act  which  exalts  the  human  agent 
to  be  a  co-worker  with  Jehovah,  annihilate 
personal  freedom?  Or  does  it  not  rather 
enlarge  that  freedom,   and  lift  it  up  to  a 

9 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

higher  and  more  joyous  activity?  Am  I  then 
a  "mechanical  instrument"  when  with  deep 
devotion  and  with  enthusiasm  I  repeat  after 
Christ,  word  for  word,  the  prayer  which  He 
taught  his  disciples?  The  Bible  is,  conse- 
quently, a  book  which  originated  according 
to  the  will  and  with  the  co-operation  of  God; 
and  as  such  it  is  our  guide  to  eternity,  con- 
ducting man,  seemingly  without  a  plan  and 
yet  with  absolute  certainty,  all  the  way  from 
the  first  creation  and  from  Paradise  on  to 
the  second  or  higher  creation  and  to  the  new 
Jerusalem  (Comp.  Gen.  2:8-10  with  Rev. 
21:1,  2.) 

Proof  of  the  Bible's  Inspiration. 

How  does  the  Bible  prove  itself  to  be  a 
divinely  inspired,  heaven-given  book,  a 
communication  from  a  Father  to  His  child- 
ren, and  thus  a  revelation? 

First,  by  the  fact  that,  as  does  no  other 
sacred  book  in  the  world,  it  condemns  man 
and  all  his  wrorks.  It  does  not  praise  either 
his  wisdom,  his  reason,  his  art,  or  any  pro- 
gress that  he  has  made;  but  it  represents 
him  as  being  in  the  sight  of  God,  a  miser- 
able sinner,  incapable  of  doing  anything 
good,  and  deserving  only  death  and  endless 

10 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

perdition.  Truly,  a  book  which  is  able  thus 
to  speak,  and  in  consequence  causes  millions 
of  men,  troubled  in  conscience,  to  prostrate 
themselves  in  the  dust,  crying,  "God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner, ' '  must  contain  more 
than  mere  ordinary  truth. 

Secondly,  the  Bible  exalts  itself  far  above 
all  merely  human  books  by  its  announce- 
ment of  the  great  incomprehensible  mystery 
that,  "God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave 
His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  (John  3:16.)  Where  is 
there  a  god  among  all  heathen  nations,  be 
he  Osiris,  Brahma,  Baal,  Jupiter  or  Odin, 
that  would  have  promised  those  people 
that,  by  taking  upon  himself  the  sin  of  the 
world  and  suffering  its  punishment,  he 
would  thus  become  a  savior  and  redeemer 
to  them? 

Thirdly,  the  Bible  sets  the  seal  of  its 
divine  origin  upon  itself  by  means  of  the 
prophecies.  Very  appropriately  does  God 
inquire,  through  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "Who, 
as  I,  shall  call,  and  shall  declare  it,  and  set 
it  in  order  for  Me  since  I  established  the 
ancient  people?  and  the  things  that  are 
coming  and  shall  come  to  pass,  let  them 
declare."   (Ch.44:7.)  Or  again,  "I  am  God, 

11 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and 
from  ancient  times,  things  not  yet  done, 
saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will 
do  all  My  pleasure;  calling  a  ravenous  bird 
from  the  east,  and  the  man  of  My  counsel 
from  a  far  country.  Yea,  I  have  spoken,  I 
will  also  bring  it  to  pass;  I  have  purposed, 
I  will  also  do  it."  (Ch.  46:10,  11.)  Or, 
addressing  Pharaoh,  "Where  are  thy  wise 
men,  and  let  them  tell  thee,  and  let  them 
know  what  the  Lord  of  Hosts  hath  purposed 
upon  Egypt."  (Ch.  19:12.)  Again  we  say, 
where  is  there  a  god,  or  gods,  a  founder  of 
religion,  such  as  Confucius,  Buddha,  or 
Mohammed,  who  could,  with  such  certain- 
ty, have  predicted  the  future  of  even  his 
own  people?  Or  where  is  there  a  statesman 
who  in  these  times  can  foretell  what  will  be 
the  condition  of  things  in  Europe  one  hun- 
dred or  even  ten  years  from  now?  Never- 
theless the  prophecies  of  Moses  and  his 
threatened  judgments  upon  the  Israelites 
have  been  literally  fulfilled.  Literally  also 
have  been  fulfilled,  (although  who  at  the 
time  would  have  believed  it? )  the  prophecies 
respecting  the  destruction  of  those  great 
ancient  cities,  Babylon,  Nineveh  and  Mem- 
phis. Who  in  these  times  would  believe  a 
like  prophecy  respecting  London,  Paris,  or 

12 


Th  e    B  i  b  le    a  n  d    Mo  dc  r  n     Cr  i  I  i  c  i  s  m 

New  York?  Moreover,  in  a  literal  way  has 
been  fulfilled  what  the  prophets  David  and 
Isaiah  foresaw  concerning  the  last  suffer- 
ings of  Christ — His  death  on  the  cross,  His 
drinking  of  vinegar,  and  the  casting  of  lots 
for  His  garments.  And  there  are  other 
prophecies  which  will  still  be  most  literally 
fulfilled,  such  as  the  promises  made  to 
Israel,  the  final  judgment,  and  the  end  of 
the  world.  '  'For, ' '  as  Habakkuk  says,  '  'the 
vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  and  will 
not  lie.  Though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it;  it  will 
surely  come."     (Ch.  2:3.) 

Furthermore,  the  Bible  has  demonstrated 
its  peculiar  power  by  its  influence  with  the 
martyrs.  Think  of  the  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands who,  at  different  times  and  among 
different  peoples,  have  sacrificed  their  all, 
their  wives,  their  children,  all  their  posses- 
sions, and  finally  life  ifself,  on  account  of 
this  book.  Think  of  how  they  have,  on  the 
rack  and  at  the  stake,  confessed  the  truth 
of  the  Bible,  and  borne  testimony  to  its 
power.  However,  O  ye  critics  and  despisers 
of  God's  Word,  if  you  will  only  write  such 
a  book  and  then  die  for  it,  we  will  believe 
you. 

Lastly,  the  Bible  shows  itself  every  day 
to  be  a  divinely  given  book  by  its  beneficent 

13 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

influence  among  all  kinds  of  people.  It 
converts  to  a  better  life  the  ignorant  and 
the  learned,  the  beggar  on  the  street  and 
the  king  upon  his  throne,  yonder  poor 
woman  dwelling  in  an  attic,  the  greatest 
poet  and  the  profoundest  thinker,  civilized 
Europeans  and  uncultured  savages.  De- 
spite all  the  scoffing  and  derision  of  its 
enemies,  it  has  been  translated  into  hun- 
dreds of  languages,  and  has  been  preached 
by  thousands  of  missionaries  to  millions  of 
people.  It  makes  the  proud  humble  and 
the  dissolute  virtuous;  it  consoles  the  un- 
fortunate, and  teaches  man  how  to  live 
patiently  and  die  triumphantly.  No  other 
book  or  collection  of  books  accomplishes 
for  man  the  exceeding  great  benefits  ac- 
complished by  this  book  of  truth. 


Modern  Criticism  and  its 
Rationalistic  Method. 

In  these  times  there  has  appeared  a 
criticism  which,  constantly  growing  bolder 
in  its  attacks  upon  this  sacred  book,  now 
decrees,  with  all  self-assurance  and  confi- 
dence, that  it  is  simply  a  human  produc- 
tion.    Besides  other  faults  found  with  it,  it 

14 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

is  declared  to  be  full  of  errors,  many  of  its 
books  to  be  spurious,  written  by  unknown 
men  at  later  dates  than  those  assigned,  etc., 
etc.  But  we  ask,  upon  what  fundamental 
principle,  what  axiom,  is  this  verdict  of  the 
critics  based?  It  is  upon  the  idea  that,  as 
Renan  expressed  it,  reason  is  capable  of 
judging:  all  things,  but  is  itself  judged  by 
nothing.  That  is  surely  a  proud  dictum, 
but  an  empty  one  if  its  character  is  really 
noticed.  To  be  sure,  God  has  given  reason 
to  man,  so  that,  in  his  customary  way  of 
planting  and  building,  buying  and  selling, 
he  may  make  a  practical  use  of  created 
nature  by  which  he  is  surrounded.  But  is 
reason,  even  as  respects  matters  of  this  life, 
in  accord  with  itself?  By  no  means.  For, 
if  that  were  so,  whence  comes  all  the  strife 
and  contention  of  men  at  home  and  abroad, 
in  their  places  of  business  and  their  public 
assemblies,  in  art  and  science,  in  legislation, 
religion  and  philosophy  ?  Does  it  not  all  pro- 
ceed from  the  conflicts  of  reason?  The  en- 
tire history  of  our  race  is  the  history  of 
millions  of  men  gifted  with  reason  who  have 
been  in  perpetual  conflict  one  with  another. 
It  is  with  such  reason,  then,  that  sentence 
is  to  be  pronounced  upon  a  divinely  given 
book?     A  purely  rational  revelation  would 

15 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

certainly  be  a  contradiction  of  terms;  be- 
sides, it  would  be  wholly  superfluous.  But 
when  reason  undertakes  to  speak  of  things 
entirely  supernatural,  invisible  and  eternal, 
it  talks  as  a  blind  man  does  about  colors, 
discoursing  of  matters  concerning  which  it 
neither  knows  nor  can  know  anything;  and 
thus  it  makes  itself  ridiculous.  It  has  not 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  neither  has  it  de- 
scended into  the  deep;  and  therefore  a 
purely  rational  religion  is  no  religion  at  all. 


Incompetency  of  Reason  for 
Spiritual  Truth. 

Reason  alone  has  never  inspired  men 
with  great  sublime  conceptions  of  spiritual 
truth,  whether  in  the  way  of  discovery  or 
invention;  but  usually  it  has  at  first  rejected 
and  ridiculed  such  matters.  And  just  so 
it  is  with  these  rationalistic  critics,  they 
have  no  appreciation  or  understanding  of 
the  high  and  sublime  in  God's  Word.  They 
understand  neither  the  majesty  of  Isaiah, 
the  pathos  of  David's  repentance,  the  au- 
dacity of  Moses'  prayers,  the  philosophic 
depth  of  Ecclesiastes,  nor  the  wisdom  of 
Solomon  which  "uttereth  her  voice  in  the 

16 


The    Bible    and  Modern     Criticism 

streets."  According  to  them  ambitious 
priests,  at  a  later  date  than  is  commonly  as- 
signed, compiled  all  those  books  to  which 
we  have  alluded;  also  they  wrote  the  Sinaitic 
law,  and  invented  the  whole  stor\r  of 
Moses'  life.  ("A  magnificent  fiction" — so 
one  of  the  critics  calls  that  story.)  But  if 
all  this  is  so,  then  we  must  believe  that 
cunning  falsifiers,  who  were,  however,  so 
the  critics  say,  devout  men,  genuine  pro- 
ducts of  their  day  (although  it  calls  for 
notice  that  the  age  in  which  those  devout 
men  lived,  should,  as  was  done  to  Christ, 
have  persecuted  and  killed  them,  when 
usually  an  age  loves  its  own  children;)  that 
is  to  say,  we  must  believe  not  only  that 
shallow- minded  men  have  uncovered  for  us 
eternal  truths  and  the  most  distant  future, 
but  also  that  vulgar,  interested  liars,  have 
declared  to  us  the  inexorable  righteousness 
of  a  holy  God  !  Of  course,  all  that  is  non- 
sense; no  one  can  believe  it. 

But  if  these  critics  discourse,  as  some- 
times they  do,  with  great  self-assurance 
upon  topics  such  as  the  history  of  Israel, 
the  peculiar  work  of  the  prophets,  revela- 
tion, inspiration,  the  essence  of  Christianity, 
the  difference  between  the  teachings  of 
Christ  and  those  of  Paul,  anyone  who  in- 

17 


The    Bible    and    Modem     Criticism 

telligently  reads  what  they  say  is  impressed 
with  the  idea  that,  although  they  display 
much  ingenuity  in  their  efforts,  after  all 
they  do  not  really  understand  the  matters 
concerning  which  they  speak.  In  like  man- 
ner they  talk  with  much  ingenuity  and  show 
of  learning  about  men  with  whom  they  have 
only  a  far-off  acquaintance;  and  they  dis- 
cuss events  in  the  realm  of  the  Spirit  where 
they  have  had  no  personal  experience. 
Thus  they  both  illustrate  and  prove  the 
truth  of  the  Scripture  teaching  that  "the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God."  These  critics  say  that  God, 
not  being  a  man,  cannot  speak;  consequent- 
ly there  is  no  word  of  God !  Also,  God  can- 
not manifest  Himself  in  visible  form,  there- 
fore all  the  accounts  of  such  epiphanies  are 
mythical  tales!  Inspiration,  they  tell  us,  is 
unthinkable;  hence  all  representations  of 
such  acts  are  diseased  imagination !  Of 
prophecy  there  is  none;  what  purports  to  be 
such  was  written  after  the  events  !  Miracles 
are  impossible;  therefore  all  the  reports  of 
them,  as  given  in  the  Bible,  are  mere  fic- 
tions! Men  always  seek,  thus  it  is  ex- 
plained, their  own  advantage  and  personal 
glory,  and  just  so  it  was  with  those  "proph- 
ets of  Israel." 

18 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

Such  is  what  they  call  "impartial  sci- 
ence," "unprejudiced  research,"  "objective 
demonstration." 

Nothing  New  in  These 

"New"  Views, 

Moreover,  these  critics  claim  for  their 
peculiar  views  that  they  are '  'new  theology, 
and  the  "latest  investigation."  But  that 
also  is  untrue.  Even  in  the  times  of  Christ 
the  famous  rabbi  Hillel  and  his  disciple 
Gamaliel  substituted  for  the  Mosaic  law  all 
manner  of  "traditions."  (Matt.  15:2-9; 
23:16-22.)  Since  then  other  learned  rabbis, 
such  as  Ben  Akiba,  Maimonides  and  others, 
have  engaged  in  Bible  criticism,  not  only 
casting  doubts  upon  the  genuineness  of 
various  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  but 
also  denying  the  miracles  and  talking  learn- 
edly about  "myths."  Even  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  ago  Celsus  brought  forward  the 
same  objections  as  those  now  raised  by 
modern  criticism;  and  in  his  weak  and 
bungling  production,  the  "Life  of  Jesus," 
David  Strauss  has  in  part  repeated  them. 
Also  there  have  been  other  noted  heretics, 
such  as  Arius  (317  A.  D.,)  who  denied  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  and  Pelagius  in  the  fifth 

19 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

century,  who  rejected  the  doctrine  of  orig- 
inal sin.  Indeed  this  exceedingly  new 
theology  adopts  even  the  unbelief  of  those 
old  Sadducees  who  said  "there  is  no  resur- 
rection, neither  angel  nor  spirit."  (Acts 
23:8,.)  and  whom  Christ  reproved  with  the 
words,  "Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scrip- 
tures nor  the  power  of  God."  ( Matt. 
22:29. )  It  certainly  does  not  argue  for  the 
spiritual  progress  of  our  race,  that  such  a 
threadbare  and  outworn  unbelieving  kind 
of  science  should  again,  in  these  days,  de- 
ceive and  even  stultify  thousands  of  people. 

No  Agreement  Among 
the  Critics. 

Do  these  critics  then,  to  ask  the  least  of 
them,  agree  with  one  another!  Far  from 
it.  To  be  sure,  they  unanimously  deny  the 
inspiration  of  the  Bible,  the  divinity  of 
Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  fall  of 
man  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins  through 
Christ;  also  prophecy  and  miracles,  the  res- 
urrection of  the  dead,  the  final  judgment, 
heaven  and  hell.  But  when  it  comes  to 
their  pretendedly  sure  results,  not  any  two 
of  them  affirm  the  same  things;  and  their 
numerous  publications  create  a  flood  of  dis- 

20 


Th  e    B i b  1  e    and    Mo  de r n     Cr iticism 

putable,  self -contradictor}-  and  mutually 
destructive  hypotheses.  For  example,  the 
Jehovah  of  the  Old  Testament  is  made  to 
be  some  heathen  god,  either  a  nomadic  or 
steppe  god,  the  weather-god  Jahu,  or  the 
god  of  West-Semitism.  It  was  David  who 
first  introduced  this  divinity;  and  according 
to  some  authors  the  peculiar  worship  of  this 
god  was,  with  its  human  sacrifices  (!),  only 
a  continuation  of  the  Baal- Moloch  worship  ! 
Of  Abraham  it  is  sometimes  affirmed  that 
he  never  existed,  but  at  other  times  that  he 
was  a  Canaanite  chief,  dwelling  at  Hebron. 
No!  he  is  the  myth  of  the  Aurora,  and 
Sarah,  or  Scharratu,  is  the  wife  of  the 
moon-god  Sin,  and  so  on.  The  twelve  sons 
of  Jacob  are  very  probably  the  twelve  months 
of  the  year.  As  to  Moses,  some  teach  there 
never  was  such  a  man,  also  that  the  ten 
commandments  were  composed  in  the  time 
of  Manasseh.  No !  the  more  moderate  writ- 
ers say  that  Moses  is  a  historical  character. 
It  was  in  Midian  that  he  learned  about  Jah, 
the  tribal  god  of  the  Kenites;  and  he  de- 
termined with  this  divinity  to  liberate  his 
people.  Elijah  is  simply  a  myth;  or  he 
was  some  unfortunate  prophet  who  had  per- 
haps been  struck  by  lightning.  And  so, 
too,  this  modern  criticism  knows  for  sure 

21 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

that  it  was  not  Solomon,  but  a  wholly  un- 
known king,  living  after  the  time  of  Ezra, 
who  wrote  Ecclesiastes;  also  that  there 
never  was  a  Daniel,  but  that  again  some 
unknown  author  wrote  the  book  bearing 
that  name.  Moreover,  Kautsch  tells  us 
that  this  book  first  made  its  appearance  in 
January,  164  B.  C,  while  other  critics  are 
positive  that  it  was  in  165.  Query:  Why 
could  not  that  unknown  author  have  been 
named  Daniel? 

So  also  Wellhausen  knows  of  twenty-two 
different  authors — all  of  them,  to  be  sure, 
unknown — for  the  books  of  Moses,  while 
Kuenen  is  satisfied  with  sixteen.  The 
noted  English  critic,  Canon  Cheyne,  is  said 
to  have  taken  great  pains  to  tear  the  book 
of  Isaiah's  prophecies  into  one  hundred  and 
sixty  pieces,  all  by  unknown  writers;  which 
pieces  were  scattered  through  ten  different 
epochs  including  four  and  a  half  centuries 
("Modern  Puritan,"  1907,  p.  400.)  Like- 
wise this  critic  knows  that  the  first  chapter 
of  1  Samuel  originated  with  an  unknown 
writer  living  some  five  hundred  years  after 
the  time  of  that  prophet;  also  that  Hannah's 
glory-song,  as  found  in  2  Kings,  was  writ- 
ten by  some  other  "unknown."  That  Eli 
ruled  over  Israel  for  forty  years  is,  "in  all 

22 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

likelihood,"  the  unauthentic  statement  of  a 
later  day  (Hastings'  Bible  Dictionary.) 
Why  so?  we  may  ask. — The  book  of  Deu- 
teronomy was  written,  we  are  told,  in  561 
B.  C,  and  Ecclesiastes  in  264  B.  C;  and  a 
German  critic,  Budde,  is  certain  that  the 
book  of  Job  has  somehow  lost  its  last  chap- 
ter, and  that  fifty-nine  verses  of  this  book 
should  be  wholly  expunged. 

Such  are  a  few  illustrations  of  the  way 
in  which  Holy  Scripture  is  treated  by  the 
criticism  we  are  considering. 

But,  surely,  it  would  not  require  much 
sagacity  and  intelligence  for  one,  by  apply- 
ing such  peculiar  methods,  say,  to  Goethe's 
works,  to  demonstrate  critically  that  a  good 
share  of  those  productions,  such  as  Erlkoe- 
nig,  Iphigenia,  Goetz  von  Berlichingen, 
the  Wahlverwandschaften,  Faust,  (Part  I 
and  II,  )  belong,  if  judged  of  by  their  style 
of  composition  and  their  historical  and 
philosophical  views,  to  wholly  different 
epochs,  and  that  they  originated  with  many 
different  authors.  Moreover,  it  could  easily 
be  shown  that  none  of  those  authors  lived 
in  the  times  when  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
revolutionized  Europe,  since  his  name  is 
not  mentioned  in  any  of  the  productions 
specified. 

23 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

Criticism  as  Applied  to  the 
New  Testament, 

Of  course  this  modern  criticism  does 
not  stop  short  of  the  New  Testament.  This 
part  of  the  Bible,  Harnack  says,  narrates 
for  us  incredible  stories  respecting  the  birth 
and  childhood  of  Christ.  "Nevermore," 
he  goes  on  to  assert,  "shall  we  believe  that 
he  walked  upon  the  sea  and  commanded 
the  storm."  It  stands  to  reason  that  He 
did  not  rise  from  the  dead.  The  Fourth 
Gospel  is  spurious,  and  so  also  is  (accord- 
ing to  late  critical  authority )  the  Epistle  to 
the  Romans.  The  Book  of  Revelation  is 
only  the  occasion  for  derisive  laughter  on 
the  part  of  these  skeptical  critics;  and  be- 
cause it  is  so,  the  curse  mentioned  in  its  last 
chapter  is  made  applicable  to  them  (vs.  18, 
19. )  Nevertheless,  these  men  sin  most 
seriously  against  Christ.  In  their  view  the 
very  Son  of  God,  the  Word  that  was  in  the 
beginning  with  God,  and  that  was  God, 
and  without  Whom  nothing  exists,  is  only 
a  fanatical  young  rabbi;  entangled  in  the 
peculiar  views  and  superstitions  of  his  peo- 
ple; and  he  died  upon  the  cross  only  be- 
cause he  misconceived  of  the  character  of 
his  own  mission  and  the  nature  of  his  times. 

24 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

Jesus  "is  not  indispensable  to  the  Gospel," 
so  writes  Harnack. 

Now  all  this  is  what  is  denominated  Bib- 
lical criticism.  It  is  a  jumble  of  mere  hy- 
potheses, imaginings  and  assertions,  brought 
forward  often  without  even  the  shadow  of 
proof,  and  with  no  real  certainty.  Still,  in 
these  times  it  represents  itself  to  thousands 
of  nominal  Christians  and  to  hundreds  of 
miserably  deceived  theological  students  who 
are  to  become  preachers  of  God's  word,  as 
being  the  "assured  results  of  the  latest 
scientific  research."  May  God  have  mercy, 
if  such  is  the  case ! 

What  Are  the  Fruits  of 
This  Criticism? 

Now,  if  these  people  were  of  the  truth, 
and  if  they  would  only  believe  Him  who 
says,  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth  and  the 
life,"  they  would  not  be  under  the  neces- 
sity of  tediously  working  their  way  through 
the  numerous  publications  (statistics  show 
that  there  appear  in  Europe  and  America 
annually  some  eight  hundred  of  these 
works; )  but  they  would  find  in  His  teach- 
ing a  simple  and  sure  means  for  testing  the 
character  of  these  critical  doctrines.     "Ye 

25 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

shall  know  them  by  their  fruits,"  is  what 
Christ  says  of  the  false  teachers  who  came 
in  His  name.  ''Do  men  gather  grapes  of 
thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?"  'Matt.  7:16.) 
Are  the  fruits  of  modern  criticism  good? 
Where  are  the  grapes  or  figs  that  grow  on 
this  thornbush?  Has  not  this  criticism  al- 
ready robbed,  and  perhaps  forever,  thous- 
ands of  people  of  their  first  love,  their  un- 
doubting  faith,  and  their  joyous  hope?  Has 
it  not  sowed  dissension,  fostered  pride  and 
self-conceit,  and  injured  before  all  the  world 
the  authority  of  both  the  church  and  its 
ministers?  Has  it  not  offended  Christ's 
"little  ones?"  (  Matt.  18:6,  7.  )  And  does 
it  not  every  day  furnish  the  enemies  of  God 
with  opportunities  for  deriding  and  scorn- 
ing the  truth?  Where  are  the  souls  that  it 
has  led  to  God — comforting,  strengthening, 
purifying  and  sanctifying  them?  Where 
are  the  individuals  who  even  in  the  hour  of 
death  have  continued  to  rejoice  in  the  bene- 
fits of  this  criticism? 

In  the  study-room  it  ensnares,  in  lecture- 
halls  it  makes  great  pretenses,  for  mere 
popular  lectures  it  is  still  serviceable;  but 
when  the  thunders  of  God's  power  break  in 
upon  the  soul,  when  despair  at  the  loss  of 
all   one    has  loved  takes  possession  of  the 

26 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

mind,  when  remembrance  of  a  miserable  lost 
life  or  of  past  misdeeds  is  felt  and  realized, 
when  one  is  on  a  sick-bed  and  death  ap- 
proaches, and  the  soul,  appreciating  that  it 
is  now  on  the  brink  of  eternity,  calls  for  a  Sav- 
ior— just  at  this  time  when  its  help  is  most 
needed,  this  modern  religion  utterly  fails. 
In  the  year  1864,  in  Geneva,  one  of  those 
modern  theologians  was  summoned  to  pre- 
pare for  execution  a  young  man  who  had 
committed  murder  and  robbery.  But  he 
candidly  exclaimed,  "Call  some  one  else,  I 
have  nothing  to  say  to  him. ' '  This  incom- 
petent criticism  did  not  know  of  any  conso- 
lation for  the  sin-burdened  soul;  therefore 
an  orthodox  clergyman  was  obtained,  and 
the  wretched  man,  murderer  though  he  was, 
died  reconciled  to  God  through  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

But  suppose  that  all  the  teachings  of  this 
criticism  were  true,  what  would  it  avail  us? 
It  would  put  us  in  a  sad  condition  indeed. 
For  then,  sitting  beside  ruined  temples  and 
broken-down  altars,  with  no  joy  as  respects 
the  hereafter,  no  hope  of  everlasting  life, 
no  God  to  help  us,  no  forgiveness  of  sins, 
feeling  miserable,  all  desolate  in  our  hearts 
and  chaotic  in  our  minds,  we  should  be 
utterly  unable  either   to    know    or    believe 

27 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

anything  more.  Can  such  a  view  of  the 
world,  such  a  religion,  which,  as  was  said 
of  Professor  Harnack's  lectures  in  America, 
only  destroys,  removes  and  tears  down,  be 
true?  No!  If  this  modern  criticism  is 
true,  then  away  with  all  so-called  Christian- 
ity, which  only  deceives  us  with  idle  tales! 
Away  with  a  religion  which  has  nothing  to 
offer  us  but  the  commonplace  teachings  of 
morality !  Away  with  faith  !  Away  with 
hope!  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  tomorrow 
we  die ! 


These  Teachings  in  the 
Light  of  Scripture. 

But  let  us  hear  what  God's  word  has  to 
say  regarding  this  topic: 

2  Pet.  1:21.  —  "For  no  prophecy  ever 
came  by  the  will  of  man;  but  holy  men  of 
God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

2  Tim.  3:16,  17. — "All  scripture  given 
by  inspiration  of  God  is  profitable  for  doc- 
trine, for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  in- 
struction in  righteousness;  that  the  man  of 
God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  all  good  works." 

28 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

Gal.  1:11,  12. — "I  certify  you.  brethren, 
that  the  Gospel  which  was  preached  by  me 
is  not  after  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it, 
but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Rom.  1:16.  —  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ;  for  it  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth." 

Acts  20:30. — But  "of  our  own  selves 
shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things, 
to  draw  away  disciples  after  them." 

2  Pet.  2:1.— "There  were  false  prophets 
also  among  the  people,  *  *  *  who  privily 
shall  bring  in  damnable  heresies,  even  de- 
nying the  Lord  that  bought  them." 

1  Cor.  1:20,  21.  — "Where  is  the  wise? 
where  is  the  scribe?  where  is  the  disputer 
of  this  world?  Hath  not  God  made  foolish 
the  wisdom  of  this  world?  For  after  that 
in  the  wisdom  of  God  the  world  by  wisdom 
knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  fool- 
ishness of  preaching  to  save  them  that 
believe." 

Col.  2:4-8. — "This  I  say,  lest  any  man 
should  beguile  you  with  enticing  words," 
or  "spoil  you  through  philosophy  and  vain 
deceit,  after  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  and 
not  after  Christ." 

1  Cor.  3:19  -"For  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  is  foolishness  with  God." 

29 


The    Bible    and    Modem     Criticism 

1  Cor.  2:5. — "That  your  faith  should 
not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the 
power  of  God." 

1  Cor.  2:4. — "And  my  speech  and  my 
preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of 
man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit  and  of  power  ' ' 

1  Cor.  2:12,  13.— "Now  we  have  re- 
ceived, not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the 
spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know 
the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of 
God.  Which  things  also  we  speak,  not  in 
the  words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth, 
but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth;  com- 
paring spiritual  things  with  spiritual." 

Col.  1:21  and  2  Cor.  10:5.— Therefore 
"you  that  were  sometime  alienated  and 
enemies  in  your  minds  by  wicked  works," 
now  "bring  into  captivity  every  thought  to 
the  obedience  of  Christ." 

Gal.  1:9. — "As  we  said  before,  so  say  I 
now  again,  If  any  man  preach  any  other 
gospel  unto  you  than  that  ye  have  received, 
let  him  be  accursed." 

1  Cor.  15:17. — "Whosoever  says  that 
Christ  is  not  risen,  his  faith  is  vain,  he  is 
yet  in  his  sins." 

2  John,  vs.  7,  9,  10,  11.— "For  many 
deceivers  are  entered  into  the  world,   who 

30 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

confess  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in 
the  flesh.  This  is  a  deceiver  and  an  an- 
tichrist. Whosoever  transgresseth 
and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
hath  not  God.  He  that  abideth  in  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father  and 
the  Son.  If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and 
bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him  not  into 
your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed,  for 
he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker 
of  his  evil  deeds." 

Luke  11:52.— "Woe  unto  you  lawyers! 
for  ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  know- 
ledge; ye  entered  not  in  yourselves  and  them 
that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered." 

Conclusion, 

Let  us  then,  by  repudiating  this  modern 
criticism,  show  our  condemnation  of  it. 
What  does  it  offer  us?  Nothing.  WThat 
does  it  take  away?  Everything.  Do  we 
have  any  use  of  it?  No!  It  neither  helps 
us  in  life  nor  comforts  us  in  death;  it  will 
not  judge  us  in  the  world  to  come.  For  our 
Biblical  faith  we  do  not  need  either  the 
encomiums  of  men,  nor  the  approbation  of 
a  few  poor  sinners.  We  will  not  attempt 
to  improve  the  Scriptures  and  adapt  them 

31 


The    B ib le    and    Mo dern     Cr iticis m 

to  our  liking,  but  we  will  believe  them. 
We  will  not  criticize  them,  but  we  will  our- 
selves be  directed  by  them .  We  will  not  exer- 
cise authority  over  them,  but  we  will  obey 
them.  We  will  trust  Him  who  is  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life.  His  word  shall 
make  us  free. 

Respice  jinem,  '  'consider  the  end' ' — that 
is  what  even  the  old  Romans  said.  True 
rationalism  adjudges  all  things  from  the 
standpoint  of  eternity;  and  it  asks  of  every 
religion,  What  can  you  do  for  me  in  regard 
to  the  great  beyond?  What  does  this  Bibli- 
cal criticism  offer  us  here?  Only  fog  and 
mist,  or,  at  best,  an  endless  state  of  inde- 
cision, something  impersonal  and  inactive, 
just  like  its  god,  whose  very  nature  is  in- 
conceivable, "Eternal  life,"  writes  one  of 
these  modernists,  "is  only  the  infinitely 
weak  vestige  of  the  present  life."  (!)  Here 
also  the  maxim  proves  itself  true,  "By 
their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  Just  as 
for  our  present  life  this  criticism  offers  us 
no  consolation,  no  forgiveness  of  sins,  no 
deliverance  from  "the  fear  of  death,  through 
which  we  are  all  our  lifetime  subject  to 
bondage, ' '  so  also  it  knows  nothing  respect- 
ing the  great  beyond — nothing  with  regard 
to  that  new  heaven  and  new  earth  wherein 

32 


The    Bible    and    Modern     Criticism 

righteousness  shall  dwell,  nothing:  with  re- 
gard to  that  golden  city  which  shines  with 
eternal  light,  nothing  with  regard  to  a  God 
who  wipes  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes.  It 
is  utterty  ignorant  of  the  glory  of  God,  and 
on  that  account  it  stands  condemned. 

"Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou 
hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  be- 
lieve and  are  sure  that  Thou  art  that  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God."  (John  6:68, 
69.)  And  He  answered,  "Behold,  I  come 
quickly:  hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast;  that 
no  man  take  thy  crown."     (Rev.  3:11.) 


33 


T  II  E      B  E  T  T  E  X      BOO  K  S 

NEW!       NEW! 

1 — The  Treatise  on  the  Son  of  God. 

What  Think  Ye  of  Christ? 

From  the  German  of  FR.  BETTKX. 
By  J.  F.  KRUEGKk. 

Price,  bound  in  handsome  artistic  style, 
50  cents. 

THIS  book  in  the  original  has  seen  six  large 
editions  and  is  being  considered  the  strongest 
book  extant  on  the  personality  of  our  Saviour.  In 
thirteen  short  chapters  the  author  treats  the  Bib- 
lical Doctrine  on  the  subject  in  a  most  exhaustive 
manner,  taking  issue  against  the  various  forms  of 
unbelief  in  the  fundamental  doctrine:  JESUS 
CHRIST,  THE  SON  OF  GOD,  THE  GOD-MAN. 

2 — The  Book  on  Creation. 

The  First  Page  of  the  Bible 

By   FR.  BETTKX. 
Translated  from  the  German  by  W.  R. 

25  cents  net. 

REV.  G.  Campbell  Morgan,  D.  D.,  says:  It  is 
a  long  time  since  I  have  read  anything  that 
has  given  me  more  real  pleasure.  It  is  a  quiet,  dig- 
nified and  scholarly  dealing  with  the  first  chapter 
of  Genesis.  To  my  own  mind  nothing  I  have  seen 
is  quite  equal  to  it,  and  I  should  like  to  know  that 
it  circulates  by  thousands. 

The  Lutheran  Observer:  This  is  an  examination 
of  the  account  of  creation  as  given  in  Genesis, 
showing  the  harmony  of  the  narrative  with  the 
best  accredited  finding  of  science.  It  abounds  in 
eloquent  descriptions  of  the  wonders  of  nature, 
and  shows  how  all  creation,  through  both  inorganic 
and  organic  ranges,  is  a  perpetual  hymn  in  praise 
of  the  Creator.  A  timely  and  interesting  tract  on 
a  great  subject. 


IN    GOOD     TRANSLA  T/ONS 


3 — The  Book  on  the  Miraculous  in  the 
Word  of  God. 

The    Miracle 

Translated  by  H.  M. 
Price,  50  cents. 

THE  book  closes  with  these  well  said  words  : 
"We  consider  the  rejection  of  the  miraculous 
a  sign  of  mental  weakness,  and  the  evasion  of  the 
miraculous  like  the  blind  faith  of  the  rustic  whc 
has  been  told  that  beyond  the  blue  hills  the  earth 
comes  to  an  end,  and  believed  it.  The  miracle  is 
our  hope  and  delight.  Soon,  for  what  matter  a 
few  centuries,  we  hope  to  rejoice  in  the  wonderful 
body  of  our  resurrection  and  in  a  world  of  heavenly 
miracles  where  we  shall  forever  contemplate  God, 
the  fountain  and  origin  of  all  miracles." 

Says  the  New  York  Observer :  A  vigorous  de- 
fense of  the  idea  of  the  supernatural,  as  unfolded 
in  the  Bible  and  illustrated  in  nature,  written  in 
simple  style,  understandable  by  those  who  have  no 
acquaintance  with  the  teachings  of  philosophy. 

4— The  Book  of  the  Day. 

Science  and  Christianity 

By  F.  BETTEX. 
Translated  from  the  German. 

Price,  $1.50. 

THE  author  among  other  things  says  in  the 
Preface:  I  wish  to  make  clear  to  my  readers 
how  little  real  science  is  hidden  behind  the  fine 
phrases  and  sounding  words  of  the  infidel,  and  how 
little  he  himself  understands  of  the  material  crea- 
tion which  he  affirms  to  be  the  only  one.  *  *  * 
The  Christian  and  Biblical  conception  of  the  uni- 
verse is  more  logical,  more  harmonious,  more  in 
accordance  with  facts,  therefore,  more  scientific 
than  all  philosophies,  all  systems,  materialistic  and 
atheistic. 


/    //  E      B  E   7"  T  E  X      B  0  0  K  S 


Contents  of  the  book  : 

Chapter      I.     Progress. 

Chapter    II.     Evolution  and  Modern  Science. 

Chapter  III.     Christians  and  Science. 

Chapter  IV.     Science. 

Chapter  V.  Materialism. 
One  of  the  many  favorable  reviews:  It  is  a  view 
of  much  scope,  and  so  far  as  it  attempts  reconcilia- 
tion between  science  and  Christianity,  is  eminently 
successful.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  at  present 
when  there  is  so  pronounced  a  disposition  to  follow 
every  fad  in  science,  especially  if  it  opposes  the 
Bible,  such  a  book  should  have  a  wide  reading  and 
is  adapted  to  accomplish  much  good. 

5— The  Best  Book  for  the  Bible  Student. 

The  Bible,  the  Word  of  God 

By  F.  BETTEX 
Translated  from  the  German. 

Price,  $1.50. 

THIS  striking  volume,  by  this  able,  strong  and 
well-equipped  scholar,  is  another  evidence 
that  the  destructive  higher  criticism  is  spending  its 
force.  Scholarship  is  recoiling  from  its  rational- 
istic methods  and  its  false  pretensions.  Its 
guesses,  set  forth  as  truth,  no  longer  pass  unchal- 
lenged. It  is  being  seen  that  the  methods  and 
principals  not  only  challenge  the  testimony  of  the 
Church,  but  of  Christ  Himself.  The  fancies  and 
hypothesis  that  have  and  are  being  set  forth  in  the 
name  of  science  are  simply  preposterous,  having 
no  shred  of  evidence  on  which  to  rest.  It  is  a 
book  that  will  do  the  scholar  of  the  Bible  good  to 
read.  The  opening  discussion  is  on  "Knowledge 
and  Faith,"  the  second  on  "The  Bible."  the  third 
on  "Objections,"  the  fourth  on  "Biblical  Criti- 
cism, ' '  the  fifth  and  last  on  ' '  Biblical  Faith. ' ' 


Date  Due 

$ 

Stockton,  Lalit. 


*•* ; 


BS500 .B56 

The  Bible  &  modern  criticism 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00043  1363 


iKfiWt* 

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